Rope forming machine



y 8, 1952 s. C.HALL 2,602,283

' ROPE FORMING MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1950 2 Sl-lEETS-SI-IEET 1 IN V EN TOR.

JHEEWOOO c. HALL,

July 8, 1952 s. c. HALL ROPE FORMING MACHINE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Oct. 17, 1950 I N V EN TOR.

\sbfewwo C. HALL,

By a 26m, 2

2 /2 @220 4477'0E/VEYS.

Patented July 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT CE I 2;602,283' nornronmmammnmn "Sherwood '0. Hall, Redwood icimcauf. Application October 17, 1950,:Serial No.?190',557 '6iGlaims. (cum-31) '1 7 -'I'his' invention relates' to rope or twine-manufacturing machines, and more particularly toa machine which produces rope, twine or cord by elongating and stretching a ribbons filament or strand material, and then forms strands by" heli- 'cally winding various numbers of elongated ribbons; filaments or strands.

Amainobject of the invention is to provide -a novel and improved rope, twine or' cord-forming machine='-whereina ribbon, filamentor strand 'materialis elongated or stretched,lincreasing2 its length by reduction of width and thicknessasaid 're'duction being regulated in a defini-te manner so that :ithe =material can -.be stretched .a i desire'd :amount and :uniformly twisted :and stranded, whereby-the "resultant :product is characterized by constancy in strength, sizewiand s'appearance along i-tsllength.

:A: further obj ect :ofthe inventioniis to; provide an improved :rope, twine or cord-forming :machine which is simple a in construction, which is .reliable' in operation, and "which provides a stronger, :ha'rder, better-formed and more "uniformstrand than isobtainable with; machines of theprior art.

Further objects and advantagesi'of the inven tion will become apparent from", the fol-lowingde- -scripti on-.-andclaims,' and from; the accompanying drawings whereinz Figure. 1. is-anelevational -view,.partly i in crosssection, of the strand-forming portion of a: machine constructedsiniaccordance with the-present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlargedplanviewofoone ofthe reduction frames employedoin thestrandform-ing machine of Figure l; I I

Figure "3isan enlarged cross-sectional detail viewitaken on line13-3Ldf Figure 1;

"Figured isa cross=sectional detail view-taken on lined- 4 ,of Figure '3;

Figure'l5 is anenlarged cross-.sectionalidetail view taken on line'5-5 ofFigureIZ.

"Referring to the drawings, the figuresdisclose and illustrate a strandformingassembly which is suitableifor mounting on a suitablerbaseinuthe same general 'manner as disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2495251; issued on J anuary L24, 1955). Designated.at is a, shaft whichisdrivenlby .a "suitable "electric motor, notshown, andYwhieh carries a large ,bevel gear, shown atl2, rigid1y secured' thereto. :cent "the bevel gear I 2' is a, large transversely extendingsupport plate28 which.may be circular in'shape. Secure'd'to'theshaft II at' its end oppositethe'bevel "gear I2 is another support, plate '3-4' which" is tpara'llel to "the :plate "28 and which may *also"be'circular in shape. Designated at 'l3,l3;.ar.e respective 'elongatedfframes which are journaled' to" the support.plates"28 andi't'AJon respective axes which converge .towardthe smaller support, plate34. Thei1e'ft ends of theframes 13, ..as viewed inlFigurell, are journa1ed in. respective bearings 14, 2 l4 carried by the .Support .platef.2 B, and the shaftsflof said Tframes 13,13 extend through the bearings [4 ,andZ have secured thereon'the respective bevel Secured to the shaft'll adja-" at [-5, [Bare respective shafts rjournaled in bearinglbrackets 1'6 secured to the support, platei28, the shaftslficarrying'at .their ends respective rbevelgear-s I1 an'di'3l. The gears l1 mesh'with the largeIbeVeLgear LZ and'the gears 3| me'sh with'therbevel,gear"'33, as shown in Figure 1. Therefore, asothelshaft Hf'is rotated, rotaryrmo- .tion' is transmittedltof the frames [3, t3 through ithelbevelygears l'2,'ll'l,k3| and 33, whereby the gears'33, "3'3; Designated frames l3 'rotate'aroundtheir respective axes simultaneously Withthe rotation of-the shaft '1 I.

'Eachiframe i 3 comprises respective end, plates J 8 and. [9 connected by ajplurality of longitudinal lboltsizfl defininga rectangular Lframework. As shown in Figurejl, theplate member [.8 has axially secured theretothe shaftportion 32 which ,Ide'fines alspacing shoulder disposed adjacent the bearing ILVtheQremainder of the shaft of the Lframe [3 being reducedlinsize and extending through thebearinjg sleeve I4. Thelgear 33 is secured toithe'end oflsaid reduced. shaft. andjcooperates withthe shoulderedishaftportiont2 to restrict longitudinal movement of the frame relative tothe bearing l4. At the oppositeendofthe frame,'the support member a iis formed with a hearing sleeve 2| whichhas a'redu'ced bearing portioni22. ,Secure'd'to. theplate' L91 is an annular ,bearingisleevej23,which'is rotatably received on the. stationary'sleevein, asuitablebearing bushing, Z Lbeing 'interposedibetweenthesleeve '.231and the'stationary sleevelz2. Y Secured'tdtheinternal walls of the stationary bearing} I. aretheparallel, longitudinally extending, .spaced.arms125, 25, between which are journaled the longitudinally spaced ,rollers" 'fi. 1-05,. llfras shownin Figures 1 and 5, secureditolthebolts 2U onrespective opt-posite sides OfeacIi frame I 3. arectransversely aligned. bracket bars .26, 26 .on .the intermediate gportions of which isgjournaled-a.,shaft,2'| carry- ;ing'a reeli28'. Securedltolthebolts"2U on the respective opposite sidesof each frame l3-are the respective pairs .of brackets 29,, 292133130 and .3l ',i 3| ,',i1ongitudinally spaced .along the frame inithe manner illustrated in Figure '2. The

brackets 295,125 are formed with inwardly facing,

T-shape'fd grooves 32 A322 Designated respecitivelyatll, .2,- -.3.-and lnarerollers-which are sup- I ported on, the. opposed. bracketmembers '29, .29.

..As 'showninEiguresB .andsi, theog'rooves 32have 'fixedflstcp elements inltheir lower ends, shown ratf33'pandthe shaftof the roller l,.shown at 34',

,is mounte'd onbearings 3'5, 35.which are received in'the. grooves.'32',32 and urged againstthe stop membersf335by spacerblocksltfi'. Similarly, the roller 2 is provided "with .a, shaft 31' which is -mounte'd onbearings 33 received'inthe grooves "32' andobears against thespacer 36' by additional spacers'39'. The shaft. 6fthe.roller 3 shownat 540', is mounted on'bearings- M which are urged against the spacers 39' by additional spacers 42'. The shaft of the roller i4, shownlatll3o, is mounted onibearings 44' received ingthegroove 32', and

, engaged by. respective parallelflugs. 45,- 45' rigidly r ecured to a baromeniber lli'rsecured tothe top ends .of the tbracketsl29', "29,',.,as viewed in Figure 3, by respective headed screws 41', "41', which are threaded intothe-brackets 29, 29'. V Respective coil springs 48' are provided on the screws 4'! bearing between their heads and the bar member 46, and biasing the lug members 45'-- the respective roller shafts, urging the roller hafts toward normal positions and urging the rollers l and 3 toward the roller 2. The rollers l and 3 are of hard material, and the rollers 2 and 4 are relatively yieldable material, s uch as soft rubber or the like. The roller 3. is noncircular in cross-section, and, as shown in Figure 1, has four arcuate grooves inits surface evenly spaced around the axis of the roller, said grooves being shown at 49'. The rollers 2 and 4 are relatively large as compared with therollers l and 3.

Journaled tothe intermediate portions of the brackets 30', 30' is a relatively large roller 6 of soft material, such as rubber or thelike. Journaled between the bracket bars 3|, 3l.'- are the respective rollers 5, 8 and 1, of relatively hard material, said rollers being relatively small as compared with the roller 6. Designated at 4! is an annular forming die which is suitably mounted in a stationary position on a portion of the main fame of the machine, in a manner similar to that disclosed in my above-mentioned prior Patent 2,495,251, the formin'gdie 41 being axially aligned with the shaft II and spaced outwardly with respect to the support member 34. ,The forming die 41 may be'generally conical in shape, as shown in Figure 1..

The reels 28228 have wound thereonthe material from which the rope is to be formed, for example, plastic web material such as polythene transparent plastic web material approximately two inches wide. The web material is threaded around the rollers 2, 4, 5, 6, 1, 8, 9', l and H, in themanner shown in Figure 1, and extends through the forming die, and is anchored to a winding drum, not shown, in the same manner as described in my above-mentioned prior Patent No. 2,495,251. As shown in Figure 1, the roller 5 is preferably non-circular in. cross-section, for example, square in cross-section.

In operation, the material starts its controlled elongation by passing between rollers l and 2, and then around roller 2 and between rollers 2 and 3, and thence up and over roller 4 and around roller -5. The material then goes back and around roller 6 and under and around roller I, then between rollers 1 and 8 and around roller 8 and between rollers 9', I0 and H, as shown, thence between the arms 25, 25 through the stationary bearing 2| and through the annular die 41. Control of the elongation of the material as it passes the rollers l, 2 and 3 is providedby regulating the tension of thesprings 48 by means of thescrews41'. During operation of the machine, the relatively hard roller l embeds itself against .the soft roller 2 to a degree controlled by the tension of the springs 48, the plastic material being initially elongated and reduced in width as it passes between the rollers l and .2, as shown in dotted view in Figure 2. Because of the cross-sectional shape of the roller 3, the material is intermittently gripped and held by the embedment. of the ridges on the roller .3, as said roller, rotates against the roller 2. This provides a controlled hesitationof the travel of the material through the rollers 2 and 3, creating a building upof tension in the material which has emerged from between the rollers 2 and 3.. This tension, trips the roller 3 periodically, causing an increase. in the speed of movement of the material each time that the roller 3 moves into a position wherein one of its concave surfaces bears against the roller '2. There results an alternate gripping and releasing action provided between the rollers 2 and 3, whereby the tension is built up and elongation takes place on the material, the degree of this action being controlled by regulating the tension of springs 48 by means of screws 41'. The material leaving roller 3 passes over roller 4 and thence over square roller '5, Roller. 5, in View of its square shape, aids in the tripping action at roller 3 by providing a pulsation in the tension developed in the material. After the material passes over and around roller 5, it passes over roller 6 which is a soft roller and which absorbs some of the shock provided by the square roller 5. The material then passes around roller I and over roller '8, and thence alternately'below and above rollers 9, l0, and II, in the manner shown in Figure 1. As the material leaves roller I I, it is twisted in view of the rotation of the frames [3, the twisted strands emerging from the respective bearings 2| being again twisted in the forming die 41 because of the rotation of the shaft II, which rotates the frames 13 bodily as they rotate individually around their respective axes. The respective component strands leaving the twisting frames I3 are shown respectively at '50, 50'. Any desired number of component strands 50 may be provided by providing the corresponding number of twisting frames l3 between the supporting members 28 and 34.

While a specific embodiment'of an improved rope-forming machine has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those'skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims. v I

What is claimed is:

1. A rope-forming machine comprising a shaft, a first transverse support member secured on said shaft,,a second transverse support member secured on said shaft and spaced longitudinally from said first support member, a plurality of frames journaled on said support member, the axes of the frames converging toward the second support member, means coupling said shaft and said frames for simultaneous rotation around their respective axes, a reel Journaled transversely on each frame, a plurality of transverse forming rollers journaled on each frame between the reel and the end of the frame adjacent thesecond support member, spring means on each frame biasing certain of the forming rollers on each framerelative'to other of the rollers thereon, at least one of said certain rollers being polygonal in cross-section, said second support member being provided with respective hollow bearings rotatably supporting the frame, a pair of parallel arms rigidly secured on each hollow bearing and extending inwardly of the frame associated therewith parallel to the axis thereof, a plurality of spaced additional rollersjournaled transversely between each pair of parallel arms and aligned with the axis of the associated frame, and an annular stationary die axially aligned with said shaft outwardly adjacent said second support member. 7

2. In a rope forming machine, a frame mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis, a reel journaled transversely on said frame, afirst set of forming rollers journaled transversely on the frame, spring means associated with said first set of rollers for biasing the rollers relative to each other, a second set of forming rollers transversely journaled on the frame and longitudinally spaced from the first set of rollers, one of said rollers of the second set being non-circular in cross section, a guide roller journaled transversely on the frame and interposed longitudinally between the first and second set of forming rollers, the guide roller receiving the material from the non-circular roller of the second set and advancing the material to the other rollers of the second set, and a plurality of spaced additional rollers journaled transversely on the frame and lying along with the axis of the frame.

3. A rope forming machine comprising a shaft, a first transverse support member secured on said shaft, a second transverse support member secured on said shaft and spaced longitudinally from said first support member, a plurality of frames journaled on said support members, the axes of the frames converging toward the second support member, means coupling said shaft and said frames for simultaneous rotation around their respective axes, a reel. journaled transversely on each frame, a first set of transversely arranged forming rollers journaled for rotation on each frame between the reel and the end of the frame adjacent the second support member, spring means associated with the first set of forming rollers on each frame biasing certain of the forming rollers relative to each other,

at least one of said rollers of the first set being non-circular in cross section, a second set of forming rollers transversely arranged on each frame, adjacent to the end of the frame adjacent the second support member, said rollers of the rope forming material from the second set of rollers, and an annular stationary die axially aligned with said shaft outwardly adjacent said second support member and receiving the rope forming material from each of the frames.

4. In a rope forming machine, a frame having a first end and a second end, said frame being journaled at its ends for rotary movement, a reel transversely journaled in the frame adjacent the first end, a first set of forming rollers transversely journaled in the frame adjacent the reel and disposed in a plane transverse to the frame, spring means associated with the rollers of the first set for biasing certain of the rollers into peripheral engagement, a second set of forming rollers journaled for rotation in the frame adjacent the second end thereof and disposed in another plane transversely of the frame, one of said rollers of the second set receiving the rope forming material from the first set of rollers, a roller journaled transversely in the frame intermediate the first and second sets of rollers and adapted to receive the material from the said roller of the second set and advance the material to the other rollers of the second set, a plurality of spaced additional rollers journaled transversely in the frame adjacent the second end and lying along the axis of the associated frame, said additional rollers being in a position between the second set of rollers and the second end and aligned with the axis of the associated frame for receiving the material from the other rollers of the second set, the second end of said frame being formed with a hollow bearing rotatably supporting the frame and receiving the material from the additional rollers.

5. In a rope forming machine, a frame having a first end and a second end, said frame being journaled at its ends for rotary movement, a reel transversely journaled in the frame adjacent the first end, a first set of forming rollers journaled in the frame adjacent the reel and disposed in a plane transversely to the frame, spring means associated with the rollers of the first set for biasing certain of th rollers into peripheral engagement, a second set of forming rollers journaled in the frame adjacent the second end thereof and disposed in another plane transversely of the frame, one of said rollers being non-circular in cross section and receiving the rope forming material from the first set of rollers, a roller journaled transversely in the frame intermediate the first and second sets of rollers and adapted to receive the material from the said roller of the second set and advance the material to the other rollers of the second set, said second end of the frame being formed with a hollow bearing rotatably supporting the frame and adapted to receive the material from the said rollers of the second set.

6. In a rope forming machine, a frame having a first end and a second end, said frame being journaled at its ends for rotary movement, a reel transversely journaled in the frame adjacent the first end, a first set of forming rollers journaled in the frame adjacent the reel and disposed in a plane transversely to the frame, spring means associated with the rollers of the first set for biasing certain of the rollers into peripheral engagement, a second set of forming rollers journaled in the frame adjacent the second end thereof and lisposed in another plane transversely of the frame, one of said rollers being non-circular in cross section and receiving the rope forming materia1 from the first set of rollers, a roller journaled transversely in the frame intermediate the first and second sets of rollers and, adapted to receive the material from the said roller of the second set and advance the material to the other rollers of the second set, said second end of the frame being formed with a hollow bearing rotatably supporting the frame and adapted to receive the material from the said rollers of the second set, and a plurality of spaced additional rollers journaled transversely in the frame adjacent the second end and lying along the axis of the frame, the rollers being operatively interposed between the said rollers of the second set and the second end of the frame.

SHERWOOD C. HALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 92,870 Morgan July 20, 1869 359,409 Stone Mar. 15, 1887 1,617,427 H Wegman et a1 Feb. 15, 1927 2,256,150 Mallory Sept. 16, 1941 2,495,251 Hall Jan. 24, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,886 Great Britain of 1805 

